Pursuit results in school lockdown

Students in the Prosser School District were locked down for 45 minutes yesterday afternoon after Prosser police warned the district of a fugitive fleeing police in the vicinity of the schools.

Prosser police arrested Randy Moreno, 31, of Mabton in connection with the pursuit.

The incident started in Grandview at about 1:15 p.m. when officers observed a vehicle being driven recklessly. The driver fled eastbound when police attempted to pull his vehicle over.

Prosser police responded and a vehicle pursuit lasting approximately 11 minutes through city streets ensued. The fleeing driver crashed his vehicle into a fence in the 600 block of Mercer Court and fled on foot.

Prosser police set up a perimeter around the area with assistance from the Benton County Sheriff's office, the Washington State Patrol and the Grandview Police Department. Prosser's K-9 unit tracked the suspect, who was hiding under some housing materials behind a residence.

The suspect is currently incarcerated in Yakima County Jail and has been charged in both Yakima and Benton counties.

No officers or citizens were injured during the incident.

The Prosser School District received the lockdown order at 1:25 p.m., about 10 minutes before Wednesday early release starts. The district stated that it was difficult to contact parents to inform them of the lockdown.

The lockdown was lifted at 2:10 p.m. and students were released to buses and parents.